Railway-switch.



S. D MULLENS.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATIONHLED IUNE 2. 1911.

Patented. Jan. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l1 5. n. MULLENS. RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1917.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SANFORD ID. MULLENS, OF CBANECO, WEST VIRGINIA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

naonose.

Specification of Letters P atent.

Application filed June 2, 1917. Serial No. 172,474.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, SANFORD D. MULLnNs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Craneco, in the county of Logan and State a of WestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable to othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railway switches of the three-way switch pointtype, adapted particularly to be employed in mine railways; and anobject of the invention is the provision of novel and efficientoperating mechanism for the switch points, which includes novel meansfor holding the points in a set position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch of thistype which includes a pair of relatively movable switch points normallyheld, by resilient means, in closed position with the main line of atrack.

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that embodimentof my invention of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

so Figure 1 is a plan view of a three-way switch and operating mechanismtherefor,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, r

r Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of At Fig. 1,

Fig. A is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, y o

I Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1, to Fig. 6 is a detallsection on the l1ne 66 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

letters A and A designate the rails of the main line, B and B therespective rails of an a branch leading from one side of the main line,and C and C the respective rails of another branch extending in adirection opposite the first branch. y

The rails A and A include a pair of movnn able switch points, designated1 and 2,

which have their free ends normally lying in engagement with the innersides of the communicating points between the main rails A and A and theouter rails B and C of the respective branches. The points 1 and 2 areheld in this position by means of expansive helical springs 3 whichsurround the outer ends of rods 4, which slidably extend throughopenings in the webs of the outer rails B and C of the respectivebranches and Patented J an. 1A, 1919.,v

have their inner ends connected to the switch A points 1 and 2. Heads 5are carried by the outer terminals of the rods 1. The springs 3 areinterposed between the heads 5 and the adjacent rails B and C, and exertan outward force on the heads 5 so as to effect tight engagement betweenthe switch points 1 and 2 and the adjacent rails. The inner rails B andC of the respective branches include movable switch points,designated,respectively, 6 and 7. The free ends of the switch points 6and 7 extend be yond the free ends of the points 1 and 2 and haveconnection with each other by means of a transverse rod 8. The switchpoints'6 and 7 move in unison. Thus when the points are moved in thedirection of the rail A, on the main line, the point 7 will engage theinner side of the rail A, and the point 6 will lie in spaced relation tothe rail A. When the point 7 is in engagement with the inner side of therail A of the main line, the branch rail B will be in communication withthe rail A of the main line, andthe rail A of the main line will be incommunica tion with the other branch rail B, so as to admit of a trainpassing from the main line onto the branch defined by the rails B and B,or vice versa. Likewise, when the switch point 6 is engaged against therail A of the main line, and the opposite switch point 7 is in spacedrelation with the adjacent rail A of the main line, the branch formed bythe rail C and C will be in communication with the main line.

The switch points 1 and 2are provided, adjacent their free ends, with apair of depending lugs, designated, respectively, by the numerals 9 and10. The switch points 6 and? are provided with depending lugs,

designated, respectively, Hand 12, which are arranged in opposingrelation with the lugs 9 and 10. An operating rod 13 is located belowthe points of communication between the rails A and G and the rails Aand B, and slidably extends through. openings in the lugs 9, 10, 11 and12. A pair of stops, designated 14 and 15, lie on the outer sides of thedepending lugs 9-and 11 carried by the switch points 2 and 7, and areadjustable on the rod 13. A second pair of stops, designated 16-and 17,lie on the outer sides of the lugs 12 and 10, and are adjustably mountedon the bar 13. When the rod 13 is moved in the direction of the rail 'Aon the-main =track,-the stop element 15 will engage the adjacent lug 11on the switch point 7, and effect movement of the switch point"?vintosengagement with the rail A.

The sto pelement 17on the opposite end of atherod will engagethe lug 10on .the adjacentswitch point l and withdraw the switch point 1fromengagement with the adjacent rail A. When the switch point 7 is inengagement with the adjacent rail A on the mainline,,and.the switchpoints 1 and 6 are inzspaced relation-to ;the ma=in rail A, .the

main lin e,,and ,theirails A-A and'B and B will beiin communication, soas to admit of a train passing -;from the main line onto the siding, orvi 'e-versa. When the operating rod l 3'ismovedinlthe direction of therail A, the elements 14: and 16 will engage the adjacent lugs '9 and 12on the switch points '2 and'tlianfd efi'ectmovement of the switchpoint-2 to open position. The element 17 Will'ibemoved from engagementwith the adjacent lug 110 on .the switchpoint 1, and

.the .-.Sp 1?ing 13 on therod 4 carried by the "switch pointl willexpand and effect movement {of the switch point 1 .into engagement wtlh'j he adjac nt rail .Afvineilt o fthe rodl13 will result in theswitch fpofint 16 being moved intoengagement with Further movethelrail Aofthe main line and establish v.commuriication between the rails of themain lineand the rails C, and C.

naled ,inathe stand .18 and has its lower end provided with .alaterallyextending arm 20. The arm 20 has the outer end pivoted to oneaend of ,alink 21, an1d the other end of thefl ink .2ll-has:piv.otal connectionwith the adjacentend of theoperating rod 13. The

} vUgpgperend,of .the.shaft 1.9 is connected to -one .endnofsn arm22,the said arm 22 .extending laterally therefrom.

A vhandle v23 has one endpivotally connected to-the outeriend=Qfthe-.anm:2 2. '.-T he ghandle 23 is adapt- .ecl; ,to,-have vertcal swinging movement on the adrm 2i2cand when in vlraised position .ad-

imits of the. shaft 19 being rotated [in either direction. The upper endof .the switch stand 118 :is provided with three pairs of .-ispacedears, de ignated, r p tively, 2 25 .,and 26. henrtheshaft 19 is rotatedto effectinovementofrthe rod 13, so as to move the switch po nt 6intoengagement with the rail A and effect communication between therails A and A and the branch rails C and C, the handle 23 will overliethe pair ofears 2 1. The handle 25 can then be lowered and receivedbetween the cars 24, so as to lock the shaft 20 against rotation.Likewise, when the shaft 20 is rotated to cfiect movement of the switchpoints so as to connect'the main line rails A and A with the branchrails B and B, the handle 25 will overlie the pair of cars 26 and can belowered and received between the ears 26 so as to lock the shaft 20against rotation. When it is desired to set the switch for the mainline, the shaft 19 is given a slight rotation so as to admit of thehandle 23 being disposed above the pair of cars 25. hen the handle isbeing moved to this last position, the rod 13 will have receivedsuflicient movement to position the switch points 6 and 7 in spacedrelation to the rails A and A of the main line, as shown in Fig. l ofthe drawings. The handle 23 can then be lowered so as to be receivedbetween the cars 25, so as to lockthe shaft 19 against rotation.

It is evident that various changes might be resorted to in the form,construction and arrangement of the several parts without de arting fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, is:

1. A switch of the character described comprising, a main pair of railsdiverging outwardly atthe switchingpoint; a pair of parallel railsextending from the main rails and in longitudinal alinement with .theparallel portion thereof; switch points pivotally secured to the innerend portion of the parallel rails; horizontal rods connected at one endthereof to the pivoted switch points and extending through the mainrail; coil springs arranged on. the rodsand adapted to normally maintainthe pivoted switch points in engagement with the main rails; sidingrails extending parallel to the outwardly diverging portions of the mainrails; a second set of switching points pivotallysecured to the sidingrails and extending beyond the first-named switch point; and means tooperate the switch points.

2. A switch of the character described comprising, a main pair of railsdiverging outwardly at the switching points; a pair of parallel railsextending from the main rails and in longitudinal alincment with theparallel portions thereof; switch points pivotally secured to the innerend portions of :rails; siding rails extending parallel to the outwardlydiverging portions of the main on the rods; and means to operate therails; a second set of switeh'points pivoted switching rod. 1 to thesiding rails and extending beyond In testimony whereof I affix mysignature "the first-named switch points; depending in presence of twowitnesses.

apertured lugs carried by the forward por- SANFORD D. MULLENS. tion ofthe 'first and second named set of Witnesses:

switch points; a switching rod extending J. W. PERRY,

through the apertured lugs; stops arranged IRENE WOMELDORFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

